ON THE MEND
Astros' Justin Verlander ready to take pivotal next step
Aug 9, 2024, 2:13 pm
Justin Verlander will pitch Saturday night for Sugar Land. Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images.
Houston right-hander Justin Verlander is set for a rehab start with Triple-A Sugar Land, the next step in his return from neck stiffness that has sidelined the three-time Cy Young Award winner for two months.
Verlander will pitch in the Houston suburb on Saturday night, three days after his latest bullpen session for the Astros. The 41-year-old has said he will need two rehab starts before rejoining the Astros.
Verlander hasn't pitched since June 9. He missed the beginning of the season with right shoulder inflammation before going 3-2 with a 3.95 ERA in 10 starts. He made his season debut April 19.
A two-time World Series champion with the Astros, Verlander left for the New York Mets in free agency before the 2023 season. He was traded back to Houston in August last year.
Verlander is the active major league leader in wins (260) and is second to Max Scherzer, another three-time Cy Young winner, in strikeouts. Scherzer has 3,404 to 3,393 for Verlander.
Sugar Land is planning to give away Verlander bobbleheads to the first 2,000 fans Saturday night.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.